Nissan has taken a break from car-making to build what it says is the world's first seven-seater bobsleigh. The company says the X-Trail Bobsleigh draws on the design and technology of its X-Trail crossover vehicle.
In order to deliver the project, Nissan teamed up with bobsled manufacturer Diego Menardi and with Ian Richardson, an expert in the sport. Their expertise would help inform how to convert a conventional four-man sled into a seven-seater.
"The process that we've employed on this project is completely the same as when we were developing the car," explains design manager of Nissan Design Europe Darryl Scriven. "We start with a sketch and we move it all the way through the digital workflow, right the way through to a physical asset."
The final design of the bobsleigh mimics that of the X-Trail. The number of seats is, of course, the same, while detailing on the nose references its grille and hood lines.
The sled is 4,200 mm (165 in) long and weighs 895 kg (1,973 lb). It can accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 30 seconds and tops out at 65 mph (105 km/h). Those onboard are subjected to g-forces of up to 4.5.
The sled's first run took place at the Igls Olympic track in Innsbruck, Austria. It was piloted by British Olympic medallist Sean Olsson.
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